ES CONTROL

They say the truth will set you free. So, this is my sin.

I am not a member of a club. and do not have AMA .

I am somewhat self taught, and do not think of myself as a beginner .

I hear I need to wait on a waiting list to get in to a club called Cocalico Prop Dusters. Were I think I want to fly.

What should i do?

DMcQuinn

My Feedback: (13)

There is no law that says you have to join AMA. But many flying places require AMA membership. Most clubs that fly on private, leased land will require AMA. The liability insurance provided by AMA helps to gain and keep flying sites.

ES CONTROL

DMcQuinn   I Miss Missouri! If only I could afford to live there! Than I could just forget this topic.

RCKen

My Feedback: (9)

You're not breaking any laws. But if you want to fly at the club unfortunately you have to follow their guidelines. If they require you to have AMA then you're going to have to get it to join their club.

What part of Missouri are you from?? I grew up in Rolla. And the left field bleacher of Busch Stadium 2!!!!!!

Ken

ChuckW

I used to fly without belonging to one of the local clubs. A few of us would find construction sites or country roads with no traffic. We'd get asked to leave occasionally, usually by deputies, but never had any serious trouble. It could be illegal in some areas though so it might be worth checking into. The other issue is liability. An airplane could do serious damage to property or people if it were to get out of control. Not only could you get yourself in a huge mess, it could end up inadvertently hurting all the other flyers in the area from all the bad press. In a sanctioned club setting, you tend to have better flying locations and insurance. Another benefit to the club is getting to know other flyers and learning from some of the experienced members. Joining the AMA and a club a number of years ago was one of the best things I've done for myself regarding the hobby.

MikeL

My Feedback: (3)

Chuck is right on the liability concerns.  Depending on what you fly and where you fly, your exposure to risk might be a lot higher than you think.  An AMA membership makes for pretty cheap insurance, though if you happen to be violating the safety code you're unlikely to get coverage.  There's nothing in the safety code requiring you to fly at an AMA chartered club.

Gray Beard

My Feedback: (-1)

And they stuck my young Calif. butt up at Fort Lost In The Woods for a couple of years. I doubt we have the same feelings about Misery, I mean Missouri!! I did travel around the mid west a lot back then and would have really enjoyed myself, truth is I did but I just can't stand humid weather. I do like bass fishing and hanging at the rivers and lakes though. I was even in Rolla a few times. AMA, most of the people I fly with aren't members, we fly off of a dry lake bed. Any of the clubs or regular fields are all AMA sanctioned so you must be a member to fly there. As the AMA prices go up we get more and more pilots on the lake bed flying. Met one last week, seems he joined but a few months later he had to join again, seems he was unhappy about them only giving him a few months on a years membership. At the price I can understand his thinking.

ScottMcM

My Feedback: (66)

There are only 4 or 5 of us flying at our field. No club dues, no AMA requirement. Two of us are AMA, because we like to go to the neighboring clubs fly-ins. I think the newest guy in our group will be joining AMA soon. He was planning on going to a neighboring club fly-in without being AMA....they wouldn't let him fly....I tried to tell him....[]

pdm52956

My Feedback: (1)

I'm curious.......is this a common practice out there? Shoot, our club doesn't have a waiting list. I guess I'm more curious in that if there is a waiting list, what would one be waiting on while you're on the list??

MinnFlyer

My Feedback: (4)

Usually if you join late in the year(like August), you pay the full amount, but when you re-up the following year, it is pro-rated. So you only pay for 4 months the second year.

Gray Beard

My Feedback: (-1)

In the age of the computer just how simple would it be to jump in at any time and buy a years worth of member ship, choose if you want to get the magazine or not, pro rate membership. Having to shell out your money right at the crazy season??? Who came up with that one?? AMA needs to do a bit of thinking and make some changes but the insurance is a pretty good deal. A super deal for those that don't own there own home and carry home owners insurance. For anyone that wants to fly at different clubs and fields it's a must have, for most of the people I fly with it's something they don't bother with. It's a good idea but it's not against the law not to belong.

Bonified Wingnut

Oh, come on ES join the AMA, follow the rules and go fly wherever you want. Tell the club they can stick their "Waiting List"...Better yet..start a new club across the street. Waiting list...sheez...gimmee a break..-BW

mirwin

My Feedback: (1)

Number of members is sometimes restricted by the land owner. My club is restricted to 20 members so we've most always had waiting lists. They wait until a member drops out, which rarely happens.

rc-sport

My Feedback: (12)

Our club too has restrictions on member count due to our location hence a waiting list. Although we don't turn away guests when they show up to fly.

jetmech05

Ken I didn't know you were a Missouri boy......I grew up in St. Joseph......

ES You live in Pa and think MO is expensive???????

Insanemoondoggie

I grew upon a small farm in Bethany Mo. and always went to the big Pig Roast held just north ,of St. Joseph , at the end of the Belt Highway. Lived in St.Joe for a short time , just before I joined the Army. Ran Keith Marsh Chevoretbodyshop for awhile just before I move to Minnesota. Retiered from NWA as a CrewCheif and just stayed. All the kids and grandkids are here and I get to hang out with Minnflyer once in a while. .Small world huh ?
As far as flying without AMA or breaking any laws , I think your O.K. You would benefit greatly to be flying 2.4 g radio, just for the added insurance of not shooting someone down or getting shot down yourself. Also home owners or renter insurance , just in case. I beleive in Murphy's law, If it can happen , it well happen. My Golden Retiever is named Murphy, just to keep me reminded of Murphy's law .
.

ES CONTROL

Sorry. I was thinking about getting good paying jobs in MO. Not the price of land & taxes.

ES CONTROL

I grew up in Tipton / Versailles MO.

JollyPopper

My Feedback: (6)

Ken is showing his age referring to Busch II. Now, I'll show mine. I grew up in a little town across the river from St. Louis. As kids, eight, none, ten, we would often ride the street car across the river to an elevated platform just east of Sportsman's Park. Cost us a dime. We would get off and walk to the stadium, getting there about the third inning. Timing was critical because we didn't have any money. Didn't need no steenkin money. The ushers would find something to do while we "sneaked" into the stadium to watch the rest of the game. The players would always exit the game through public gates, and they always had time to have a couple of words with some snot nosed kids. I'm talking about Musial, Schoendinst, on and on. One of those snot nosed kids grew up to play short stop for the Cardinals for 14 years and then on to become general manager of the team. Talk about the good ole days. Who in his right mind would give his pre-teen kids that kind of freedom now? Today, I am sitting here as I type this, watching the Cardinals' opening day game. Colby Rasmus just did his best Jim Edmonds imitation, going over the wall to make a spectacular catch.